


The Price of Love

by holmes221b



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst, Crack, Crossover, F/F, F/M, Femslash, Fluff, Fusion, M/M, Sexual Situations, Slash, Tentacle Rape, Violence, abuse of medical and linguistic knowledge, alt universe, dub con and non con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-21
Updated: 2014-02-21
Packaged: 2018-01-13 07:14:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 28
Words: 17,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1217302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holmes221b/pseuds/holmes221b
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard McCoy doesn’t want to go on an adventure. Unfortunately for him, the fate of Middle-earth rests in his healing hands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Prophecy

**Author's Note:**

> Translations of various Middle-earth languages (mostly Elvish) by the author herself, with the assistance of ‘The Languages of Tolkien’s Middle-earth’ by Ruth S. Noel.

The east wind blows,  
Our struggles are now at an end.  
The time has come for us to finally see—  
Has it all been for naught?

As the Evil rises in the South,  
A Hero will challenge it.  
But he will fall, for he must die.  
He is the Dead Hero,  
And his Son shall follow in his footsteps.

The Dead Hero will give his life,  
To buy time for his Son and the Chosen One,  
To give them the chance to prepare for the return of the Evil.

Under the Pony’s hooves,  
In the land between big and small,  
The Chosen One will be found  
By the Son of the Dead Hero.

As the Evil rises in the South once more,  
Stronger than before,  
The Son will set out on a quest  
To help the Chosen One defeat the Evil.

The past will come alive,  
Trying in vain to stop the Chosen One.  
They will only slow him down for a moment,  
A moment too brief to be a victory.

From the White City,  
The Chosen One will set out  
To fulfill his Destiny,  
Accompanied only by the Son.

A bird will guide the Chosen One,  
Showing him the way to his Fate.  
He will take on the Evil willingly,  
Not knowing the price of his love.

Death will come to the Chosen One,  
Leaving the Son to make the final blow,  
Destroying the Evil once and for all,  
With the help of all the lands.

~Leandra Palantir, ‘The Prophecy of the Fate of the Chosen One’


	2. Prologue: Concerning Hobbits

Leonard McCoy was an ordinary hobbit of the Shire—at least, he was until the day he met James Kirk. Now James Kirk was also a hobbit, but there was something not quite right about him—but of course that was to be expected, considering his mother was a Brandybuck and his father killed by some foul creatures while off doing the most unhobbitlike of things—adventuring.

It had been many long generations ago since a McCoy had last gone off on an adventure, and Leonard had no plans of being the first. Too bad nobody told the rest of Middle-earth about that….


	3. One: Many Meetings

Leonard was nervous—he had never been outside of the Shire before, not once in his life. Granted, Bree was not that far away from the outer boundaries of the Shire, but it was a very different place, settled jointly by hobbits and men in ages past. He decided to spend the night in the first inn he came to—the Prancing Pony.  
The owner of the inn, Barliman Butterburr III, was a cheerful man, happy to serve Leonard plenty of ale to drown his woes in.  
“You’re new to these parts,” a voice observed.  
“Just passing through,” Leonard replied, wanting to be left alone.  
“You’re from the Shire,” the voice observed, ignoring the healer’s unspoken request. “What brings you to Bree?”  
“My ex-wife,” Leonard replied, his tongue loosened quite a bit by alcohol at this point. “She got the Shire in the divorce, left me with my bones.”  
“If you’ve got nothing better to do, why not join me on an adventure?” the voice offered.  
“If you’re going to offer me something like that, it’d be nice to know your name,” Leonard observed.  
“James Kirk,” the voice replied. “And you?”  
“Leonard McCoy.”  
“Well?” James asked impatiently after a brief pause.  
“Well what?” Leonard snapped.  
“Are you going to join me or not?”  
“I guess I might as well,” Leonard replied with a shrug.

~*~

Leonard woke to the sound of someone knocking at his door.  
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Leonard got up from his bed and answered the door.  
“Good morning, Bones!” chirped James as he stepped into Leonard’s room.  
Leonard scowled at James.  
“What’s so good about it?” Leonard growled. “I should be in bed fast asleep, dreaming of mushrooms and ale.”  
“No, you don’t,” James corrected Leonard. “You need to get dressed, we’re going to visit the tanner’s.”  
“What for?” Leonard demanded.  
“To get you some armor, of course!”  
“I’m a healer, not a solider, James,” Leonard growled.  
“Okay, then, no armor?” James asked.  
Leonard muttered an oath before going back to sleep. James decided to take a catnap on the other bed in the room—why had Leonard gotten a double?

~*~

When Leonard woke up at a much more respectable hour, he kicked James out of his room, despite the latter’s protests. He wasn’t surprised to find James waiting for him right outside the door once he had finished dressing.  
“You should pack your things now, Bones,” he suggested.  
“Why?”  
“‘Cause we’re leaving right after breakfast.”  
Leonard sighed in annoyance, but he did as James had suggested he do. 


	4. Two: The Marshes

A few hours later, Leonard was rethinking his decision to travel with James Kirk.  
“Why couldn’t we take the main road?” Leonard demanded.  
“Like I told you, the only way to Pike’s house is through these marshes,” James immediately replied.  
“What sort of person lives in the middle of a marsh?” muttered Leonard crossly.  
“Pike’s one of a kind,” James said.  
Leonard snorted.  
“No kidding,” he growled. “He must have some kind of magical powers, to not be bothered by these damned midges.”  
“Midges?” James asked in mock confusion.  
Leonard growled before shoving James hard in the back, knocking the younger hobbit off his feet, into the foul waters of the marshes. James recovered quickly and Leonard soon found himself being pulled down into the marshy water.  
“Hey!” Leonard yelped.  
“Water fight!” hollered James as he began to splash Leonard.  
“Dammit, James!” the healer snarled. “Quit acting like a damned infant!”  
“You need to loosen up, Bones,” James advised, “you’re much too tense.”  
Leonard scowled as he saw a shadowy figure approaching them.  
“James, we’ve got company,” he said as he pointed the figure out to his companion.  
“Shit,” James swore as he lept back to his feet, drawing a shortsword from its scabbard.  
Leonard also stood up, but he positioned himself behind James, keeping the younger hobbit between himself and the figure—he was a healer, not a fighter, after all.  
The figure paused a short distance away from the two hobbits.  
“Who dares to travel uninvited thru these parts?” the figure demanded.  
“James Tiberius Kirk and Leonard McCoy,” James answered. “And who might you be?”  
“I am Spock, son of Sarek,” the figure replied.  
“What are you?” Leonard asked. “I’ve never seen a shadow talk before.”  
The figure stiffened slightly.  
“Don’t mind my companion, Spock, he’s never been outside of the Shire before,” James informed the figure.  
“Very well then,” Spock said. “What brings you here?”  
“We’ve come to speak with Christopher Pike, Spock, son of Sarek,” James replied.  
“Come with me then, James Tiberius Kirk and Leonard McCoy,” Spock directed.


	5. 3. Falasîr

“Welcome to Falasîr*, Bones,” James proudly proclaimed as Spock led them through the front gate of a great city in the middle of the Midgewater Marshes.  
“What is this place?” Leonard asked.  
“Home,” James replied.  
“Falasîr was founded by a small band of men from the South, with the help of another small band of elves, Leonard McCoy,” Spock explained.  
"James! You’re back!" a voice exclaimed.  
"Hey, Pavel!" James replied, waving at a young, curly-haired hobbit who had abandoned whatever it was that he’d been working on to hug James.  
And that’s when Leonard noticed Spock’s pointy ears.  
"Ah, so you are an elf, then, Spock!" he abruptly exclaimed.  
James snickered.  
"I am only half elf, Leonard McCoy," Spock corrected the healer.  
"Who is your new friend, James?" Pavel asked, indicating Leonard as he spoke.  
"Pavel, this is Leonard McCoy," James introduced the healer to Pavel. "Bones, this is Pavel Chekov."  
"Hello, Pavel," Leonard said.  
"Hello, Leonard," Pavel said back with a slight grin.  
A loud chime rang out.  
"News sure spreads fast," James muttered.  
"You’d better make haste, James," Pavel advised. "Pike’s been in a short mood lately, ever since you ran off."  
"Come on, Bones, let’s go introduce you to my godfather," James sighed.  
Leonard was still at a loss as to what was going on, so he just followed James and Spock to the heart of Falasîr.

~*~

Christopher Pike looked up from the dusty tome he had been studying as three beings entered his study.  
"Pike, sir," the tallest of the three said respectively.  
Pike nodded in acknowledgement.  
"You are dismissed, Spock," he said, and the half-elf wordlessly left the room, leaving Pike alone with the two hobbits.  
"I see you decided to bring home a friend with you this time, James," the human observed.  
"He’s a healer, sir," James informed Pike, "the best in all the Shire."  
"That was not why you left Falasîr, James," Pike reminded the young hobbit.  
Leonard shifted, feeling awkward. He felt like he did not belong here in Falasîr.  
"Nero and Ayel are still out there, sir," James reminded Pike.  
"All the more reason for you to stay put here, in the safety of Falasîr, James."  
"They killed my dad, and vowed to destroy Falasîr some day."  
"The best people of this city are working on finding them, James," Pike reminded his godson.  
"If y’all aren’t going to be needin’ me, I’m gonna just leave now," Leonard announced, edging slowly towards the door as he spoke.  
"Stay right where you are," Pike ordered.  
Leonard froze.  
"What is your name?" the human demanded.  
"Leonard McCoy, sir," Leonard replied.  
"Only son of David and Eleanor McCoy, of the South Farthing," Pike mused aloud, "you must have traveled a long ways to get to Falasîr."  
"Indeed I did, sir," Leonard agreed.  
"If you wish to stay here, I am sure your skills will be put to good use in our hospital," Pike offered.  
"As long as I don’t have to go on any adventures, sir," Leonard requested.  
Pike chuckled grimly.  
"I can’t make you any promises on that count, Healer McCoy," he said, "adventures have a nasty habit of happening to those who want them the least."

~*~

After the meeting with Pike, Leonard was introduced to a pretty, blonde-haired woman named Christine Chapel.  
"Pike said he was sending us a new healer, but he didn’t mention that you’d be a _dwarf_ ,” Christine observed.  
Leonard scowled.  
"I’m not a dwarf," he corrected her, "I’m a hobbit!"  
"You _are_ a healer, though, right?” Christine asked worriedly, causing Leonard’s scowl to deepen.  
"Of course I’m a healer—I went to the best med school in the Shire!"  
Christine sighed.  
"What do you know of the healing arts with regards to races other than hobbits?"  
"Very little," he admitted, "I can set broken bones and bandage injuries, but the diagnosing and treatment of disease, that I don’t know beyond that which hobbits are vulnerable to getting."  
"Well, that’s a start," Christine said, "you can learn about the diseases of other races easily enough here."  
The nurse took Leonard on a tour of the hospital that lasted until well into the afternoon. James was waiting for him outside of the hospital.  
"Just in time for dinner, Leonard," James informed the healer, clearly happy to see him.  
"Dinner would be most welcome right now," Leonard agreed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Elvish, 'Riverside'


	6. 4. Winona Kirk

Winona Kirk had dinner ready and waiting for her wayward son and his new friend when they arrived on the doorstep of the Kirk family home. James clearly was not expecting his mother to be home, Leonard could tell by James’ body language.  
"Mom," James said stiffly.  
"James, it is good to see you again," Winona remarked before turning to Leonard, "and who might this fine young fellow be?"  
"Leonard McCoy, ma’am," the healer introduced himself.  
Winona’s eyes glimmered at Leonard’s name, but she didn’t say anything.  
"Bones, this is my mom, Winona," James belatedly introduced his mother.  
"Well, now that we know who everyone is, let’s sit down at the table and have our dinner before it gets cold," Winona suggested.  
Leonard eagerly agreed—he was a proper hobbit, after all.

~*~

"So, Leonard, tell me how you met James," Winona suggested over dinner.  
"I was married to the lovely Jocelyn Darnell, until she decided she didn’t want to be the wife of a healer any more, and filed for a divorce," Leonard informed Winona.  
"Jocelyn got the whole Shire in the divorce, Mom," James piped up with a slight grin, "left Bones here with, well, just his bones."  
"And that’s how you ended up meeting my James, then?" Winona asked Leonard, politely ignoring her son’s outburst.  
"Yes, ma’am," Leonard replied, following Winona’s lead and ignoring James’ outburst.  
"Good to hear it wasn’t because of a fight or anything like that," Winona declared.  
"Mom, Pike would have had my head if I had caused trouble in Bree," James pointed out.  
"He still might, James Tiberius Kirk, for all the trouble you’ve caused elsewhere," Winona shot back, silencing James.

~*~

After dinner, James showed Leonard where he would be staying for the time being—in the guest room next to James’ own bedroom.  
"Pike has called for an emergency meeting of the Council of Elders, Bones," James informed Leonard.  
"So?" Leonard asked, unsure as to why James was telling him this.  
"You’ll need to be there, with me," James replied.  
"Why do I need to be there?" Leonard asked.  
"Pike wants you to be there," James explained with a shrug, "or something, I’m not entirely sure."  
"When’s the meeting?"  
"First thing tomorrow morning," James replied. 


	7. 5: The Council of Elders

The Council of Elders was made of representatives from every race that dwelled in Falasîr, with Christopher Pike at its head. Their job was to run Falasîr, ensuring that the city was well-defended. Leonard ran through the list James had given him at breakfast in his mind, remembering the names and descriptions the younger hobbit had given him of the council members.  
Representing the hobbits of Falasîr was an old hobbit by the name of Andy Took, assisted by his youngest grandson, Bungo, while the dwarves were represented by a grizzly old dwarf named Angmar, whose many great-grandfather had fought in the War of the Ring.  
The elves of Falasîr were likely the only elves left in all of Middle-earth, the children of the elven founders of Falasîr. No longer immortal like their fore-bearers, the elves of Falasîr still outlived their human brethren. Their chosen representative was Sarek (Spock’s elven father).  
Éomer of Helm’s Deep, a Rider of Rohan before he came to Falasîr, represented the Rohírrím who called Falasîr home, while those who had traveled all the way from Gondor were represented by Jonathan Archer, whose many great-grandfather served under Faramir, steward of Gondor during the reign of Aragorn Telcontar, in the days leading up to the Battle of Pellanor Fields.  
Christopher Pike had been born and raised in Falasîr, as had his parents, but Pike’s grandparents (on both sides) had traveled together from Bree to Falasîr. But since Pike was head of the Council, he did not represent the Breefolk of Falasîr. That responsibility had been placed on the shoulders of a wiry young man by the name of Arahael*—his parents had been _huge_ history buffs.  
"As am I sure you are all aware, James Kirk has returned," Pike interrupted Leonard’s thoughts, "and has brought home a friend."  
"I do not see how this merits the calling of an emergency meeting of the Council, Christopher," Sarek remarked.  
"I agree with Sarek, Christopher," Angmar added, "why have we been assembled?"  
"King Arciryas* has sent word that Mordor once more lies in shadow,” Pike explained grimly.  
"Sauron was destroyed the day the One Ring was finally cast into the fires of Mount Doom," Éomer reminded them all, "we were all taught that from an early age."  
"Sauron’s defeat did not end the eternal battle between good and evil, Éomer," Arahael reminded the ex-Rider, "that battle, after all, is eternal."  
Pike nodded at Arahael’s words.  
"A new evil has taken root in Mordor," he informed the Council, "one whose coming was foretold by the founders of our proud city."  
"Surely you jest, Christopher," Andy insisted, "The idea of James Kirk being the ‘Chosen One’ the Founders wrote of is insanity."  
"Chosen One?" James asked.  
"I’m not talking about James Kirk, Andy," Pike coolly replied.  
"Who else are you suggesting the Prophecy was about, then?" Andy challenged.  
"Leonard McCoy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Arahael was the second Chieftain of the Dunedain, and an ancestor of Aragorn II.  
> 2\. Elvish, “Noble Ship”; from ar (“noble, high”) and ciryas (“ship”). King of the United Kingdoms during this time.


	8. 6. Assemble the Team

Pike’s claim sent the the entire Council into an uproar.  
"You can’t be serious, Christopher!" Andy insisted.  
"The fate of Middle-earth can’t possibly rest in the hands of a halfling from the Shire, not again," Angmar gruffly insisted.  
"Are you saying that the Chosen One ought to be a dwarf, Angmar?" Jonathan demanded heatedly.  
"Why not?" the dwarf asked, "it’s not like we’re any less qualified than hobbits."  
"It should be a human, Middle-earth is pretty much ours now anyways," Arahael observed.  
"SILENCE!" bellowed Pike, clearly audible over the entire Council.  
Everyone immediately stopped talking.  
"I understand how upsetting the idea of Leonard McCoy being the ‘Chosen One’ is, but this is uncalled for," Pike declared, "He clearly is the one."  
"Such a bold claim to make, Christopher," Jonathan observed, "what proof do you have to support it?"  
Pike turned to James and Leonard.  
"I don’t know anything ‘bout being the ‘Chosen One’," Leonard informed the Council.  
"That’s not a problem, Leonard," Pike politely informed the hobbit healer, before asking James how he had met Leonard.  
"As I told you before, sir," James reminded Pike, "we happened to both be staying at the same inn in Bree, when he happened to catch my eye."  
"Under the Pony’s hooves,  
In the land between big and small,  
The Chosen One will be found  
By the Son of the Dead Hero,” Pike recited from memory, “It all fits.”  
"I am a healer, not some prophesied messiah," insisted Leonard.  
"The time will soon come when the fate of Middle-earth will rest in your hands, the hands of a healer," Sarek informed Leonard with the knowing serenity of an elf.  
"Don’t worry, Bones," James assured Leonard, "you won’t have to save Middle-earth by yourself."  
"No indeed he will not be on his own," Pike agreed.  
"Who will help Leonard?" Jonathan asked.  
"James Kirk and Pavel Chekov," insisted Bungo Took, speaking up for the first time. His grandfather nodded in agreement.  
"And Hikaru Sulu," Pike added, "he should not be parted from young Pavel."  
"My son, Spock, should go as well," Sarek declared.  
"I want Christine Chapel to come with us," Leonard declared.  
Jonathan chuckled.  
"That can be arranged, halfling," he informed Leonard.  
"Do we need anyone else?" James asked.  
"Take Uhura as well," Éomer suggested, "you might have need of her gifts, where you are going."


	9. 7. Enterprise is Ready

Leonard was not happy to discover that they would be traveling by air in something James called a vilyacair*.  
"If we were meant to fly, we would have wings, James," Leonard grumbled.  
"Aw, come on, Bones," James objected, "It’s perfectly safe."  
Leonard gave the younger hobbit a sour look.  
"You have never seen the damage caused by a fall from a great height, have you?" the healer demanded, “‘cause I have, and it ain’t a pretty sight."  
"Where in the Shire could you have possibly seen such a thing, Bones?" James asked, "There aren’t any ‘great heights’ in the Shire."  
"A kid climbed a tall tree, then promptly fell out of the tree from the tree’s crown," Leonard grimly replied, "couldn’t do a thing for him."  
"Oh."  
"James! Ze wilyacair is ready for launch!" called Pavel.  
"Is everyone else on board and ready to go, Pavel?" James asked.  
"Yep," Pavel confirmed, "just waiting for you and ze healer."  
"I’m not going," Leonard declared.  
Pavel frowned in confusion.  
"But—" the youth began to say, but James interrupted him.  
"Don’t worry, Pavel, Bones is coming with us," James interjected.  
"Dammit, James!" growled Leonard.  
"Bones, you don’t have a choice," James insisted.  
"The hell I don’t!" Leonard disagreed.  
"Unless the end of Middle-earth as we know it is an option, you don’t have any, Bones."  
Leonard growled something James did not quite catch before stalking up the ramp onto the vilyacair.

~*~

"Welcome aboard the _Enterprise_ , Bones,” James said proudly as he led the way through the ship’s corridors to his destination.  
"That’s a strange name," Leonard observed.  
"Perhaps," James acknowledged, without really agreeing with Leonard.  
It wasn’t long before the pair arrived in a room that Leonard figured was the Bridge (the sign identifying it as such did help too).  
"Captain on deck," announced a dark-skinned human woman, drawing everyone’s attention to the hobbits.  
"At ease," James directed, before taking a seat in the large chair at the center of the Bridge—the Captain’s chair. He turned to face the hobbit and human seated in front of him.  
"We have helm control, Captain," the human reported.  
"Excellent, Hikaru," James replied, "Pavel, what about tactical?"  
"Tactical is green, sair," Pavel answered.  
James nodded.  
"Uhura?" he asked, turning to the dark-skinned woman.  
"Communications is green, sir," she confirmed, "Command has given us the go ahead for launch."  
"Hikaru, you heard the lady," James said, "let’s take off."

~*~

Down in Engineering, a grizzled old dwarf named Montgomery Scott ordered a bunch of young humans around, ensuring that the engines of the great ship continued to function correctly.  
"Sir, the Bridge reports that they are beginning the launch sequence now," called a green-skinned engineer of unknown race.  
"Let ‘em know that we acknowledge that message and have begun the engine start up sequence, Gaila," Montgomery ordered.  
"Aye, sir," Gaila replied.

~*~

"Buckle up, Bones," James advised with a smirk.  
"Huh?" Leonard asked, confused.  
James sighed.  
"Sorry, Bones," he said, "I forgot you’re not familiar with vilyacair technology."  
"However, the Captain does have a point," Spock remarked from his station, "you should buckle up, Healer."  
The half-elf’s words did not help clear up the healer’s confusion.  
"Go down to Sickbay, Bones," James suggested, "you’ll probably be spending most of your time down there, anyways."  
"How do I get down there, James?" Leonard inquired.  
"Follow the signs, Bones," James replied. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Elvish, “air ship”; Alternatively spelled wilyacair.


	10. 8. Investigation

Two days later, Spock spotted something strange on the ‘sensors’ (Leonard wasn’t sure what, as the half-elf was using words the hobbit had never heard before). James, of course, understood every word.  
"Hikaru, can we land nearby?" James asked the olive-skinned human in front of him.  
Hikaru looked at something on his console before replying.  
"Yes, sir," he said, "do you want me to land?"  
James nodded.  
"Spock, you have the conn while Bones and I go investigate those weird readings," he added.  
"Captain, you should not go alone," Spock objected, even as Leonard realized that James had said his name (or rather, his nickname for the healer).  
"Don’t worry, Spock, we’ll take two Security guards with us, plus someone from Sciences," James assured the half-elf.  
Leonard found his voice once they got into the turbolift.  
"Dammit, James! I’m a healer, not an adventurer!" he snapped.  
"I know, Bones," James acknowledged, "but I think you need some fresh air."  
"You don’t need to bring me with you to investigate this whatever-it-is, James," Leonard insisted.  
"But I _do_ need to, Bones,” the younger hobbit admitted, “I need _you_.”

~*~

The strange reading turned out to be coming from a large pool of murky water at the feet of a series of tall mountains.  
Leonard, James, the two security guards (two humans armed with strange weapons called ‘phasers’), and a pretty red-haired hobbit lass named Rosie Proudfoot (the someone from Sciences that James had promised Spock that he would bring along) carefully walked around the pool to get closer to the mound of rubble that separate the pool from the mountains.  
"Where are we?" Leonard asked.  
Rosie consulted her black box-like thing—something Christine had told him was called a ‘tricorder’ a few days ago.  
"We’re near the Misty Mountains, Healer McCoy," Rosie replied.  
"Any chance in being a bit more specific?" Leonard wondered, eying the pool with increasing distrust. He remembered quite well the stories his grandmother told him of the adventures of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, and of the Fellowship of the Ring. But what he remembered especially was how the Fellowship had been attacked by a giant monster that lived underwater near the Misty Mountains.  
"Not with any certainty," Rosie replied, "but my tricorder is picking up evidence of past mining excavation nearby."  
Leonard wanted to go back to the ship NOW. James sensed the healer’s distress.  
"What’s the matter, Bones?" he asked.  
"We need to go back to the ship, James," Leonard replied, "we’re in danger here."  
James frowned.  
"What are you talking about, Bones?" he demanded, "there’s no danger here."  
"There’s something in the water, James," Leonard insisted, "the Fellowship encountered it years ago."  
"It’s probably dead then, Bones."  
Leonard shook his head.  
"What if it’s the source of the strange readings?" he asked.  
"Don’t worry, Bones, we’re perfectly safe," James assured the healer, "if there was something dangerous here, Spock would have spotted it on the sensors."  
Leonard wasn’t assured by this at all. Especially when a huge tentacle rose out of the water and grabbed him around the waist. 


	11. 9. They Don't Know His Fate

Pike gazed out of the window in his study that looked out to the West, at the stars that dotted the night sky. But he did not see them, lost in thought as he remembered the conversation he had had just that afternoon.

~*~

_"Winona Kirk is here to see you, sir," Spock’s replacement, an elf by the name of Stonn, announced.  
"Let her in, Stonn," Pike ordered.  
Stonn nodded in acknowledgement, before leaving Pike’s study to retrieve the hobbit. Once he had returned with Winona, Pike dismissed Stonn.  
Turning to the hobbit, the man asked, “Why are you here, Winona? Surely you would want to spend what time you have left with your son.”  
"James doesn’t know," Winona replied, "and neither does Leonard."  
"Know what?" Pike asked.  
"You know exactly what I am talking about, Chris," Winona snapped.  
"I know many things, Winona," Pike reminded her, "but I don’t know what it is you are referring to unless you tell me."  
"The Prophecy, Chris," Winona replied curtly, "that’s what I’m talking about. My son doesn’t know that the Chosen One has to give up his life to save Middle-earth, and neither does Leonard, the Chosen One himself."  
"Leonard_ must _chose to sacrifice his life without any knowledge of what the Prophecy truly requires of him, Winona, you know this as well as I do.”_  
"My son will die with Leonard, Chris," Winona stated, "he has fallen deeply in love with him."  
Pike sighed.  
"I know, Winona," he admitted, "but I can’t play favorites, even if the fate of the world weren’t at stake."  
"But surely Leonard could survive what is to come, Chris," Winona pleaded, "hobbits are a hardy race, after all."  
"No one is hardy enough to live through what is required of the Chosen One, Winona," Pike answered her, his voice tinged with sorrow.

~*~

"Sir?" called Stonn, breaking into Pike’s thoughts.  
"What is it, Stonn?" the man asked.  
"A messenger has arrived from the East," the elf informed him, "a Rider of Rohan."  
"Bring him here, Stonn," Pike ordered. 


	12. 10. The Watcher in the Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter with the tentacle rape. It's not graphic, but it could still be triggery.

"Bones!" James cried out as Leonard was dragged into the pool.  
"Dammit, James!" snarled Leonard, "I _told_ you it was still alive!”  
The next thing Leonard knew, he was alone, in a damp, dark cavern, at the edge of a huge underground lake.  
"James?" Leonard called, "Rosie?"  
No answer.  
Leonard wished he knew the names of the two security officers, so that he could call their names as well. Not that he had any hope of getting an answer from them, the healer just liked to be through.  
 _Why do you fear me, Little One?_  
Leonard looked all around him, but he did not see anyone—not that he really could see that well in the darkness of the cavern, anyways.  
"I can’t see you," Leonard observed, "it’s hard to not fear the unknown."  
 _Even if I were to leave my watery home, you still would not be able to see me,_ the voice informed Leonard, _I have no need of torches to see in the dark of the night._  
"The Watcher in the water," Leonard murmured softly, but the voice still heard him anyways.  
 _I do not understand, Little One,_ it said.  
Water sloshed about in the darkness, then something cold and wet tugged at Leonard’s pants.  
"Hey!" the healer yelped, "Don’t do that!"  
But the tentacle ignored him, and it was soon joined by several other tentacles to help the first one undress the very unwilling Leonard.  
 _Stop struggling, Little One,_ the Watcher commanded, and Leonard found his body doing as the Watcher had commanded.  
The hobbit had fallen under the Watcher’s spell.

~*~

Rosie had updated the ship as to what had happened to Leonard. Spock had wanted James to return to the ship (along with Rosie and the two security officers, of course), to regroup and re-access the situation.  
James, of course, refused to return to the _Enterprise_ while Leonard was in danger.  
 **"The chances of the healer still being alive are so slight as to be nonexistent, sir,"** the half-elf observed, **"you disgrace his memory by endangering yourself in this manner."**  
"How would you know, Spock, you only just met him three days ago," James shot back.  
 **"I’d be happy to explain that to you, Captain,"** Spock coolly replied, **"once you have returned to the ship."**

~*~

Leonard’s mind raced, struggling against the Watcher’s potent control over his body. It was hard to think, with a delicate tentacle wrapped around his cock.  
 _Why do you fight the pleasure, Little One?_ the Watcher wondered, seemingly confused by the healer’s continued struggles.  
"It’s not pleasure when it’s forced upon you," Leonard growled.  
 _Yet your body—_ the Watcher began to observe, but Leonard interrupted it.  
"My body’s reactin’ blindly to stimulation," he explained, "there’s no pleasure required."

~*~

James suddenly had a thought.  
"Rosie, you mentioned something about mining earlier?" he asked abruptly.  
Rosie nodded.  
"Yes, I did, sir," she affirmed.  
"Any chance this lake flows into the mines?" James asked.  
"It is a possibility, sir," Rosie replied, "my tricorder might not be powerful enough to see that far underground, though."  
"Let’s find out then, shall we?" James asked.

~*~

Leonard shuddered as a tentacle gently caressed his cheek.  
 _Don’t you see that you should be enjoying this, Little One?_ the Watcher pressed.  
"Don’t you see that your attentions are unwelcome, Watcher?" the hobbit shot back, his voice bouncing off the stone walls of the cavern, in an echo he could not hear.  
But James heard him just fine, from where he stood in a tunnel that led straight to where the Watcher held Leonard captive. At the sound of his friend’s voice, James took off at a run, eager to get Leonard back. Despite his short legs, James was able to effortlessly keep ahead of the taller security guards.  
"Bones!" James shouted, "don’t worry, Bones, I’m coming!"  
Leonard could feel the Watcher flinch at James’ shout.  
 _I will not give you up without a fight, Little One,_ the monster vowed.  
Leonard did not like the sound of that, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. The Watcher was surprised when Leonard abruptly went limp in its tentacles, loosening its grip on the hobbit just slightly. The healer immediately took advantage of this by pulling his arms free of the tentacles that had been restraining him.  
Unfortunately, this startled the Watcher even more, and the monster ended up dropping the hobbit. Leonard landed head-first on the hard, rocky ground with a thud. 


	13. 11. Headaches

The next thing Leonard knew, he was waking up in _Enterprise_ 's Sickbay— _his_ Sickbay—with a blindingly painful headache.  
"Good morning, Bones!" chirped James from somewhere beyond Leonard’s closed eyes.  
Leonard groaned.  
"Shut up, James," he growled, "you’re worst than any song bird."  
"Huh?" James asked.  
"You’re makin’ my head hurt worse than it already is," Leonard clarified, "speakin’ of which, why is my head hurting?"  
"You hit your head on some shale," James explained.  
"Shale?" Leonard asked, "I wasn’t aware you were into rocks."  
"I’m not, but after having to deal with a scientist who kept correcting me every time I said you hit your head on a rock," James explained, "I learned to use the ‘proper names’ for rocks if I wanted to avoid being interrupted by Rosie."  
"Rosie?" Leonard asked blankly.  
"You know, the scientist who went with us to investigate that weird signal?" James prompted.  
"Oh yeah," Leonard said, his memory returning, "that tentacle monster didn’t hurt you any, James?"  
The younger hobbit shook his head.  
"Wood and Boyd were able to keep the monster at bay with their phasers long enough for us to all escape safely, Bones," James informed the healer.  
 _Ah, so that’s their names,_ Leonard thought to himself.  
Something chimed nearby.  
"Kirk here," James stated suddenly, causing Leonard to frown.  
 **"Captain, your presence is required on the Bridge,"** Spock’s voice said.  
Leonard’s frown deepened. Spock was not in the room, so how could he hear the half-elf’s voice?  
James nodded.  
"On my way, Spock. Kirk out," he said, before turning to Leonard, "Will you be alright on your own, Bones?"  
"I think so," Leonard said in reply, "but before you go, could you get Nurse Chapel in here?"  
"Sure, Bones," James said.  
As soon as the healer was alone with the human nurse, he informed her that he was having hallucinations (or something).  
"Why do you think that, Healer?" Christine asked.  
"I just heard Spock’s voice when he wasn’t in the room," Leonard explained, "I even hallucinated James—the Captain—responding to his voice."  
"You’re not hallucinating, Healer," Christine smiled patiently.  
"I’m not?" Leonard asked, surprised.  
"It’s called a comm link," the nurse explained, "it allows us to communicate over long distances, like from the Bridge to Sickbay, and so forth, quickly."  
Leonard frowned.  
"Is it some kind of magic?" he asked, "like the palantiri*?”  
"It’s not magic," Christine replied, "not really. But it is kinda like the seeing stones, yes."  
"Huh," Leonard said, intrigued.  
"Was that all, Healer?" Christine asked.  
Leonard nodded.  
"I’m fine then," he added aloud, "no permanent brain damage."

~*~

James stepped onto the Bridge, where Spock was waiting for him.  
"What is it, Spock?" the hobbit demanded.  
"We have received word that Nero has sent troops to attack Ithilien, Captain."  
"Ithilien? Why would Nero attack them?" James asked.  
"Nero’s motives are unclear at this time, sir," the half-elf replied.  
"It could be a diversion," James mused aloud.  
"A diversion? From what?" Uhura asked from her station, "Such an attack would divert troops from Gondor, troops that wouldn’t have been sent to our aid anyways."  
"But Nero might not know that," Hikaru piped up.  
James shook his head.  
"No, Nero knows better," he said, confidently, "Hikaru, plot a course for Minas Tirith."  
"Sir?" Hikaru asked, confused.  
"Nero wants something from the White City," the Captain explained, "we just need to get ahead of him and find it."  
"Sir, Minas Tirith is in Gondor, not Ithilien," Uhura pointed out.  
"I know," James said, "but an attack on Ithilien would divert troops from Gondor—leaving Minas Tirith potentially vulnerable to attack." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Elvish, ‘far seers’ or ‘that which looks far away’ (singular, _palantir_ ); the ‘seeing stones’ used by Sauron to communicate with Sarumon during the early days of the War of the Ring.


	14. 12. Ninniach

Three days later the _Enterprise_ landed outside the outer walls of Minas Tirith. James, Leonard, Spock, and Uhura stepped out of the vilyacair, and strode straight for the main gate of the White City, where Ninniach*, the Captain of the City Guard, was waiting for them.  
"Welcome to Minas Tirith, travelers," she greeted them before introducing herself.  
"We seek counsel with King Arciryas, Captain," Spock informed Ninniach.  
The Captain of the City Guard nodded.  
"The king has been expecting you," she informed them, "follow me."  
As Ninniach led them up to the highest level of the city, where the king resided, James kept a close eye on Leonard, who was overwhelmed by the ancient grandeur of the White City.  
"Impressive, huh?" he asked the healer.  
"Yeah," Leonard agreed.  
"Falasîr is actually about the same size as Minas Tirith, Bones," James informed him.  
"At least Minas Tirith could enforce a proper quarantine if the plague ever were to break out," Leonard observed as Ninniach led them thru the gate that separated the third and fourth levels of the city.  
The sound of metal rapidly pounding against cobblestones was the only warning the healer had before he was abruptly thrown off his feet, into a fruit-seller’s stall. Leonard jumped back to his feet, angrily muttering hobbit curses at the fool who had knocked him down as he dusted himself off as best as he could (there was only so much you could do about fruit stains).  
"Are you alright, Healer?" Spock inquired.  
Leonard ignored him, noticing that James was absent from his side.  
"Where’s James?" he demanded.  
"He ran after that horse, Leonard," Uhura replied—and did the healer detect a hint of concern in the woman’s voice?—, "I don’t know what he thinks he’ll be able to do."  
"He’s not thinking at all," Leonard assured her, "let’s go find him, preferably before he manages to injure himself."  
Spock led the way, but even the healer himself could have followed the trail the frightened horse had left behind, and it wasn’t long before they met up with Ninniach and James, leading the horse back to its stables.  
"My many great-grandfather was Meriadoc Brandybuck," James informed Ninniach.  
"You don’t look like a Brandybuck," the guard objected.  
"How would you know what a Brandybuck looks like? Have you ever been to the Shire?"  
Leonard spoke up before Ninniach could respond.  
"You can tell a Brandybuck by their fondness for apples," he quipped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Elvish, “Rainbow”.


	15. 13. In the Court of the King

Arciryas was a scruffy looking man, regal despite his great dislike for fine clothing (he took after the founder of his royal bloodline, Aragorn II).  
"Welcome to my court, travelers," the king greeted his guests.  
"It is indeed an honor to be here, sire," Uhura informed him.  
"Excuse me," James interrupted, "but we don’t have time to exchange pleasantries right now."  
Uhura scowled at James, while Spock gave the young hobbit a sharp look. But Arciryas was not at all displeased by James’ rudeness.  
"You are quite right," he acknowledged," however, Christopher did not tell me your names."  
"I’m James Kirk," James replied. He then went on to introduce Spock, Uhura, and Leonard.  
"Now that we all know who everyone is, can we get down to business?" James demanded.  
Arciryas nodded.  
"I was surprised to hear that you were coming here, I must admit," the king remarked.  
"From the White City,  
The Chosen One will set out  
To fulfill his Destiny,” James recited from memory, “Accompanied only by the Son.”  
Arciryas and Ninniach both frowned.  
"Chosen One?" Ninniach asked, "What on Arda are you talking about, James?"  
"The Prophecy," James explained, "Leonard here is the Chosen One, and I’m the Son mentioned in those lines."  
"And what is the destiny of the Chosen One?" Arciryas inquired.  
"To defeat Nero and save Middle-earth, sire," Leonard said.  
"And how do you expect to defeat a nasty, twisted dark elf like Nero, Leonard McCoy?" Ninniach demanded.  
Leonard shrugged.  
"I haven’t a clue, but I’m hoping something will come to me," he admitted.  
"Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan," James assured them.  
"Why does that concern me?" Leonard asked.  
"I don’t know, Bones," James replied, “‘cause it shouldn’t."

~*~

Arciryas had rooms made ready for his guests, and James ended up sharing a room with Leonard (who suspected that the younger hobbit had insisted on sharing a room with him), while Spock and Uhura shared a neighboring room (which wasn’t surprising, since the two were married to each other).  
"Captain, what you are suggesting is highly dangerous."  
Leonard frowned. That was Spock. He must be talking with James about the younger hobbit’s plan, the one he’d mentioned during their meeting with King Arciryas.  
"Of course it is, Spock," James acknowledged, "but it’s our best option."  
"At least take some security officers with you, sir," Spock requested.  
"No," James insisted, "the fewer the better."  
"Do you intend to arm yourselves, then?"  
Silence—had James used body language to respond to Spock?—then the half-elf audibly sighed.  
"I knew you’d see it my way, Spock," James said brightly before stepping into his room, "Bones? What are you doing in bed already?"  
"I’m tired, now bug off!" snapped Leonard.  
"Well, inch over, it’s my bed too," James requested.  
Leonard rolled over with a growl, but he didn’t make any move to assault the Captain as he laid down on the bed beside the healer.  
"Night, Bones!" chirped James. 


	16. 14. Awkward Mornings

Leonard woke at the crack of dawn to James cuddled up to him under the sheets.  
"Dammit, James!" Leonard snarled, shoving the other hobbit off the bed.  
James landed with a thud on the stone floor of the room.  
"Come on, Bones," he whined, "it’s almost winter."  
"I don’t care if you’re naked and it’s snowing, don’t sneak onto my side of the bed, James," Leonard insisted.  
"But you liked it, didn’t you?"  
"Liked what? Waking up to a body that I didn’t ask for?" Leonard demanded.  
James shook his head.  
"You liked being near to me," he declared.  
Leonard couldn’t think of anything snarky to say to that, so he settled for simply glaring at James.  
"Anyways, we should go get packed," James said, changing the subject.  
"Get packed?" Leonard asked, "what for?"  
"We need to go on our own the rest of the way to Mordor, Bones," James explained.  
"Why now? Can’t we wait to leave at a much more respectable hour?"  
"Sorry, Bones, but we can’t wait," the blonde-haired hobbit replied, "Spock will try to stop us from going on by ourselves otherwise."  
"Spock might have a point there, James," Leonard observed.  
"No, not this time," James disagreed.

~*~

In the end, James won the argument, and Leonard soon found himself sneaking out of Minas Tirith, with James leading the way, astride a horse the younger hobbit had purchased in the second level of the city.  
"His name is Windfola, Bones," James announced suddenly once they were out of the city, "isn’t that awesome?"  
"Sure, I guess," Leonard reluctantly agreed, "we’re riding a horse named after the horse Meriadoc Brandybuck and Lady Éowyn rode to Minas Tirith during the final days of the War of the Ring."  
Windfola was light on his hooves, and the city was soon out of sight as they traveled in a somewhat easterly direction, towards Mordor.

~*~

Uhura knocked on the door.  
"Captain?" she called, "may I come in?"  
She got no answer.  
"Healer McCoy?" she tried again, but she still got no answer.  
"What is it, Nyota?" Spock inquired, coming to stand beside her.  
"It’s time for breakfast, but neither the Captain nor Healer McCoy have responded to my knocking on their door, Spock," Uhura replied.  
"Have you tried the door?" Spock asked.  
Uhura shook her head.  
"I don’t want to walk in on James Kirk when he could potentially be naked, Spock," she explained, "he’d never shut up about it."  
Spock nodded, though he didn’t really understand what his wife was going on about. Having no such problems with seeing the Captain undressed, the half-elf tried the door.  
It was unlocked, so it swung open without the slightest struggle, to reveal a room completely devoid of hobbits.  
"They’re gone!" Uhura gasped, "but how!?" 


	17. 15. The Black City

They arrived at Minas Morgul shortly after nightfall—or rather, they hid on the slopes near the main gates of the black city, now once more inhabited by evil creatures.  
"Now what?" Leonard demanded.  
"Right now, we rest and wait until morning, Bones," James replied, "then we worry about Nero."  
"One of us should stay awake at all times, in case of trouble," Leonard remarked.  
James nodded.  
"I’ll take the first shift, Bones," he said, "you’re not used to this sort of thing, not like I am."  
"Something which I plan to keep that way," Leonard muttered as he pulled out his sleeping bag from his pack.  
The healer suppressed a shiver as he realized that there would be no fire tonight—too dangerous.  
"Bones?" James asked, sensing the healer’s distress, "is everything alright?"  
Leonard nodded.  
"Yeah, just thinking about how cold it’s going to be tonight," he explained.  
"Yeah," James agreed, "what do you think Spock and the others are doing right now?"  
"Looking for us?" Leonard yawned.  
"I hope not," James declared, "they need to be looking for whatever it is that Nero wants from Minas Tirith."  
"Why aren’t we there looking for it, James?” Leonard asked.  
"By the time we would have found it, it would have been too late for us to act on that information to stop Nero," James explained.  
"Oh, and they do?" Leonard demanded.  
"If it comes to that, then yes," the younger hobbit replied, "but I intend to stop Nero for good before he can attack Minas Tirith."  
"How the hell do you plan on doing that, James?" Leonard asked.  
"Don’t worry, Bones, I’ll think of something."

~*~

Meanwhile, back in Minas Tirith, Uhura and Spock were searching the city’s Grand Library for information. One of the librarians, a wrinkly old man named Gelydh, frowned at the pair as they skimmed manuscript after manuscript, in search of something they did not even know existed.  
"Spock, what if the Captain is wrong?" Uhura asked.  
The half-elf did not even slow down in his reading as he replied, “Then he and Healer McCoy will be completely on their own in their quest, Nyota.”  
Gelydh decided to lend this strange pair his assistance.  
"Pardon me, but do you two require any assistance?" the old librarian asked.  
"Perhaps you can help us, kind sir," Uhura replied, "what do you know of Frodo Baggins’ mithril coat?"  
Gelydh frowned once more.  
 _They are on the wrong track completely!_  
"Very little, I’m afraid," Gelydh lied.  
"Can you at least suggest where we should look for more information on the current whereabouts of his coat, sir?" Spock requested.  
Gelydh shook his head.  
"It’ll do you no good," he informed them.  
Uhura scowled at him.  
"How would you know that?" she demanded, "you don’t even know the first thing about us and why we are here."  
"Gelydh!" called one of the junior librarians, "could you come over here and help me with these scrolls?"

~*~

Leonard slept til dawn—or what passed as dawn on the outskirts of Minas Morgul now, anyways.  
"Dammit, James, why didn’t you wake me up?" the healer demanded as soon as he laid eyes on the hobbit.  
"You needed your rest, Bones," James replied, "you are the Chosen One, after all."  
Leonard groaned.  
"Don’t remind me."  
"Anyways, I’m sure you’re hungry for breakfast," James changed the subject.  
Leonard was quite happy to go along with the subject change.  
"What have we got?" he asked, not getting his hopes up for anything actually edible being on the menu—no fire meant no coffee.  
James checked his pack.  
"Apples, plenty of lembas bread, and cookies," he announced.  
Leonard frowned.  
"Cookies?" he asked in disbelief.  
"Yep," James confirmed, "want some?"  
Leonard shook his head.  
"Yeah, I guess having cookies for breakfast is a bit too adventurous for you," James decided, "here, have some lembas bread."  
After breakfast, the two hobbits sat down and started brainstorming ideas for getting into the Black City undetected.  
"We could track down Windfola and stain his coat black," Leonard mused aloud.  
"Presuming he hasn’t already made it all the way back to Minas Tirith," muttered James, "and what were you intending to use to dye his coat black?"  
Leonard sighed.  
"We can’t go as orcs, James," he moaned, "and I can’t think of anything that’ll get us into the city."  
"Why not convince them to take us to Nero," James mused aloud.  
"What, by walking right up to the main gate and loudly telling the guards who we really are?" Leonard asked.  
"Yep," James confirmed.  
"They have heard of the Prophecy then?" Leonard asked.  
"Nero definitely has," James replied, "I don’t know if it’s common knowledge among his minions though."  
"Well, since I can’t come up with a better idea, let’s find out," Leonard declared. 


	18. 16. Trojan Hobbits?

Leaving all their things safely stowed away in a small crack in the rock face, Leonard and James climbed down to the main road that led down to the main gates of Minas Morgul.  
"Halt! Who goes there?" a voice demanded from the daytime gloom.  
"James Tiberius Kirk, the Son of the Dead Hero, and—" James began, but he was interrupted by Leonard.  
"—and Leonard Horatio McCoy, Healer of the Shire and the One Chosen by Fate to defeat your leader, Nero," he added.  
The hobbits soon found themselves thrown into a prison cell together.  
"That went well," Leonard grumbled, "they didn’t take us to Nero."  
"Maybe he’s busy right now," James suggested.  
"That would be a bad thing," Leonard observed.  
James nodded—Leonard did have a point there.  
"Maybe we can escape," the younger hobbit mused aloud.  
"And do what?" Leonard demanded, "in case you haven’t noticed yet, they took your sword."  
"Not a problem," James said.  
"It’s not?" Leonard asked, surprised.  
"Yeah," the younger hobbit said confidently, "all you need to do is challenge Nero to a fight to the death, and insist on using the sword they took from me."  
"Dammit, Jim, that’s a terrible idea," the healer insisted, "I don’t know how to fight."  
"They don’t teach you how to fight in the Shire?" James asked, "what do they teach youngsters?"  
"Gardening, cooking, brewing, healing," replied Leonard, "whatever they’re most interested in, that’s what they learn. We Shirefolk aren’t fighters and adventurers, James."  
"But—," James began to object, but Leonard was quick to cut him off.  
"But nothing, James," he snapped, "Frodo and the others were the exception to the rule. Most hobbits never even leave their hometowns."  
"You did," James pointed out, "you chose to leave the Shire after your divorce."  
"Divorce is a rare thing in the Shire, James," Leonard replied, "I chose to leave the Shire completely because I was tired of the odd looks I was getting."  
"You went with me when I offered you the chance to go on an adventure, too."  
"Only because I didn’t have anywhere else I’d rather be," Leonard admitted, "and I was quite happy to stay in Falasîr, learning about the anatomy of elves, men, and dwarves."  
"After we deal with Nero, Bones," James asked, "do you want to stay in Falasîr, with me?"  
Before Leonard could reply, the door to their cell opened.  
"Nero will see you now, halflings," announced the elfin creature—Leonard was not sure what he was, but he did look a lot like an elf.


	19. 17. Mithril

"Nero wants Frodo Baggins’ mithril coat," Uhura stated.  
"But why?" asked Ninniach, "what use could he have for an old trinket like that?"  
"Mithril is stronger than dragon scales," Spock observed.  
"Silver-white treasure of Moria,  
Gift freely given to a thief,  
Secret savior of Halflings,” murmured King Arciryas softly.  
Spock cocked an eyebrow at him.  
"Sire?" he asked.  
"Oh, it’s just an old rhyme my mother taught me," the king replied.  
Ninniach frowned.  
"Pardon me, sire," she asked, "but wasn’t she from Falasîr?"  
Arciryas nodded.  
"Yes, she was," he affirmed.  
"Nero wants the mithril coat because it’s prophesied to protect the Chosen One," the Captain of the City Guard concluded.  
"But what is he doing, looking for it here in Minas Tirith?" Uhura asked.  
"There is a myth that descendants of Samwise Gamgee brought the coat to Minas Tirith, as a gift to the King," Arciryas remarked, "I’ve never seen the coat anywhere in the Palace, though."  
“My mother used to tell me stories of hidden passages throughout Minas Tirith,” Ninniach remarked, “I’ve never found any of them, but then, they only appear when one is in dire need of them.”  
"Some kind of magic?" Uhura asked.  
"Guess so," Ninniach replied, "Gelydh might know where we should look, though."  
"Gelydh tried to guide us away from Frodo’s mithril coat," Uhura remarked.  
"You might have a traitor in your city, sire," Spock observed, "And it might already be too late to stop him from assisting Nero in getting that mithril coat."  
"Really?" Ninniach asked, surprised, "that doesn’t sound like him."  
Arciryas sighed.  
"Gelydh’s a good man, Spock," he insisted, "let’s not be hasty and jump to conclusions."  
"That is a brilliant idea, sire," a voice called out.  
"Gelydh!" exclaimed Arciryas, "what are you doing out of the library?"  
"I have come to warn you, sire," the librarian replied.  
"Warn me?" the king asked.  
"Yes, sire," Gelydh replied, "Nero has the Chosen One in his dungeon."  
Uhura frowned.  
"How do you know this?" she demanded.  
"I have seen it, ma’am," Gelydh replied, "in a vision."  
"Gelydh has the gift of prophecy," Ninniach volunteered.  
"Foretelling the present is not prophecy," Spock observed.  
"Hush," Arciryas ordered, "Gelydh, tell me everything."

~*~

The elf-creature led them to a lavishly decorated throne room, complete with an elevated dais.  
"My lord," the elf-creature said with a low bow to the throne on the dais, "I have brought the halflings."  
"Thank you, Ayel," the creature on the throne said.  
James scowled.  
"Nero," he growled, his voice full of hatred.  
"James Kirk," Nero replied cheerfully, "I do hope you are enjoying your stay."  
"You will pay for my father’s death," James growled.  
Nero shook his head.  
"No, I don’t think so, James," he replied, "especially since I have you both right where I want you."  
"Leave Bones out of this, Nero," James snarled, "he’s a healer, he’s no threat to you."  
Nero laughed.  
"Do you really think that I am that stupid, James?" the elf-creature asked, "I know _all_ about your ‘Chosen One’, little halfling.” 


	20. 18. Spies and Illusions

James stared at Nero.  
"How?" he asked.  
"A little bird told me," Nero replied, holding out his gloved left arm.  
With a spine-tingling shriek, a huge black-feathered bird with beady eyes landed on his outstretched arm.  
"Mornië*, why don’t you say hello to our guests,” Nero directed his cherished crebain*.  
Mornië shrieked again, causing Leonard to whimper. Nero chuckled at the sound.  
"I suppose you’ve never met one of the Moriquendi* before, Healer?” the dark elf asked Leonard.  
Leonard was too terrified to even speak, but before Nero could taunt him, there was a rapid pounding on the door to the throne room.  
"Go see who it is, Ayel," Nero ordered.  
Ayel wordlessly obeyed, returning moments later accompanied by another dark elf. Nero frowned at this.  
"I have urgent news, my lord," the newcomer informed Nero.  
"Oh?" Nero asked.  
The newcomer nodded.  
"According to our contact in Minas Tirith, the _Enterprise_ is heading for Minas Morgul.”  
James and Leonard shared a glance with each other. Nero swore in a language Leonard was unfamiliar with, before ordering Ayel to “raise the shields”, whatever that meant.  
"What about the prisoners, my lord?" Ayel asked, indicating the hobbits as he spoke.  
"Tie them up in my ready room, Ayel," Nero replied, "we can use them as bargining chips."

~*~

After Ayel tied them up in Nero’s ready room—Leonard decided that “ready room” was what evil beings liked to call their studies—, Leonard asked James what they were going to do now.  
James shrugged.  
"I don’t know yet, Bones," he admitted.  
"Wonderful," groaned Leonard, "you plan to have us captured, but when we are captured, you haven’t a clue as to what we should do next."  
"I wasn’t expecting to be treated like this, Bones," James defended himself.  
"What, did you expect Nero to draw up a nice warm bubble bath?" Leonard demanded.  
James scowled at Leonard.  
"Of course not," he replied.  
Mornië fluttered into the room.  
"Oh lovely, he’s spying on us again," Leonard grumbled.  
The crebain perched on the metal rod that Ayel had tied the hobbits to.  
"Shoo!" called James, trying to wave the black bird away as best as he could with his hands tied to a piece of metal.  
Mornië was not impressed in the slightest by James’ attempts, and ignored him.  
"Ow!" yelped Leonard as the bird pecked at his wrists.  
"Go away, you bloody bird!" James cried, but Mornië continued to ignore him.  
"James, leave the bird alone," Leonard ordered, as he realized what Mornië was _really_ up to.  
"But it’s trying to eat you, Bones," James objected.  
"No, she’s not," Leonard replied, "Mornië’s pecking at the ropes."  
"That must be some trick of Nero’s, Bones," James warned, "be careful."  
"It’s not a trick," a voice called.  
James and Leonard couldn’t see the speaker, she appeared to not even be in the room.  
"Who’s that?" James called.  
"I am Varda*,” the voice said.  
"My lady," murmured the hobbits respectfully.  
A ghostly hand touched Leonard’s wrists, removing the ropes that Mornië had been pecking at. Leonard gasped as his wrists came into his line of sight—there was not even a scratch on them!  
"Leonard McCoy, you don’t have much time," Varda informed him, "you must stop Nero."  
"I can’t," Leonard objected.  
"I will be with you, Leonard, even if you can’t see me," Varda promised, "now go!"  
Leonard ran from the room at her urging, Mornië leading the way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Elvish, “Darkness”.  
> 2\. Elvish, “crow”.  
> 3\. Elvish, “Elves of Darkness” (literally “Speakers of Darkness”), from mor = ‘dark’, quendi = ‘elves’ (literally ‘speakers’).The elves who never saw the light of the two Trees (ie, stayed in Middle-earth when the Valar invited the Elves to come to the Blessed Realm).  
> 4\. One of the Valar, the wife of Manwë; Highly respected by the Elves because she made the stars. Hobbits also seem to revere her as well.


	21. 19. The Final Battle is Upon Us

"We have arrived at Minas Morgul, sir," Hikaru announced.  
Spock nodded his acknowledgment from where he sat in the captain’s chair.  
"Sair, sensors report a shield has been raised over the entire city," Pavel called from his station.  
"Can you detect the presence of the Captain and the Healer?" Spock asked the curly-haired hobbit.  
"Yes, sair," Pavel reported, "they are in ze tower."  
"Can you get a transporter lock on them?" the half-elf asked.  
Pavel shook his head.  
"No, sair," he replied, "ze shield is interferring with ze transporter sensors."

~*~

"Are you going to free me as well, my lady?" James asked.  
Varda nodded.  
"Of course, James," she replied, "but not until the moment is right."  
"The moment is right?" James echo’d, "I’m sure you are already aware of this, but Leonard’s running into a battle he has no hope of winning."  
"He is the Chosen One for a reason, James," Varda pointed out.  
"Yes, my lady," James agreed, "but he’s a healer, not a fighter."  
Varda smiled at the young hobbit.  
"I know," she said, "and this fight will require a healer to win."

~*~

Leonard was not sure how long it took him to reach his destination, but it felt like an eternity. Mornië cawed softly, indicating a doorway to the hobbit’s left. Leonard could not read the ancient script that identified the room, but once he stepped inside, he knew where he was—he was in a sickbay.  
"Why did you bring me here?" the healer asked the crebain.  
Mornië cawed at Leonard, but he could not understand her. Leonard sighed.  
"I’m sorry, Mornië, but I don’t speak Bird," he informed her, "I’m a healer, not a linguist."

~*~

"We need to find a way to get to the Captain and Healer McCoy," Spock informed the beings assembled in the main conference room of the _Enterprise_.  
"With those shields up, we cannae beam anybody in or out of Minas Morgul," an oil-slick dwarf observed.  
"You can’t figure a way around the shields, Scotty?" Uhura asked the dwarf, Montgomery Scott.  
Scotty shook his head.  
"Nae, Uhura," he replied, "you cannae defy the laws of physics on a mere whim."  
"Well, we could, but only if we wanted to lose ze Keptin," Pavel added.  
Spock cocked an eyebrow at the curly-haired hobbit’s remark.  
"Please explain, Chekov," he requested.  
"We’ve come up with a work-around to safely beam up ze Healer, sair," Pavel replied, "but ze Keptin is being held in a different part of ze tower, a part which is much more heavily protected."  
Uhura frowned.  
"Why is Nero keeping them separated?" she wondered aloud.  
"Maybe he knows about the Prophecy?" Hikaru suggested.  
"If Nero knew about the Prophecy, he would have placed Leonard under high security, not the Captain," Christine observed.  
"Unless he thinks Leonard is the Captain?" Hikaru suggested.  
"Or he is using the Captain as bait to lure Leonard into a trap," Uhura remarked, "we just don’t know what is really going on down there."  
"Uhura is correct," Spock agreed, "we need to learn more about the situation before we can act."  
"But how?" Pavel asked, "those shields are virtually impossible to get pass."  
"Why not just walk through the shields?" Christine wondered aloud.  
"Scotty?" Uhura asked.  
"That might just work," the dwarf replied, "I’ll have to double-check our data on the shields’ frequencies."

~*~

Mornië cawed again, before flying off to a nearby desk, where a scroll of blank parchment lay, waiting for someone to come along and write down their thoughts on it. Next to the parchment was an ink well and a quill pen. Mornië opened the ink well. Dipping her beak into the ink, the crebain carefully pecked out a message.

The answer to all your problems is here, in this room, Healer. Use what you know of hobbit physiology, and fight Nero like the Healer you are.

“‘Physiology’ is a big word for a bird, even if you are crebain,” Leonard mused aloud.  
Mornië cawed at Leonard.  
"Mornië, I don’t know how to do what you’re asking me to do," the healer insisted, "you’re going to have to speak more plainly."  
Mornië gave Leonard a dark look before scribbling a second message beneath the first one.

Surely you at least know something of herbs, Healer McCoy.

"Some, yes," Leonard acknowledged, "but I doubt they would have any of the herbs I know of here in Minas Morgul."

You’d be surprised, Healer.

"Well, then, surprise me, dammit," Leonard demanded.

Sedation.

"What kind of response is that?" the healer demanded—did birds get spontaneous concussions?

Estesea, Healer McCoy. They have it in stock here.

Leonard whistled.

"Yeah, that does surprise me," he admitted, "Christine told me that estesea* is only used in the Shire.”

So what is it doing here?

"You know as much as I do, Mornië," Leonard observed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Elvish, “Rest-leaf”. A herbal plant whose leaves are used in the Shire to sedate a patient for surgery, the roots of this plant are also used to treat internal bleeding.


	22. 20. Set the Scene

Nero looked up as Mornië fluttered into the room.  
"What are you doing here, my pet," he asked, tenderly stroking the bird.  
"Nero!"  
The dark elf looked up, at Leonard McCoy, standing in the doorway.  
"How did you get free?" Nero demanded, one hand reaching for the knife on his belt.  
"A little bird helped me," Leonard boldly shot back.  
"Mornië? Never."  
Leonard unsheathed James’ shortsword from its scabbard. Nero cocked an eyebrow at the healer.  
"Are you serious?" he demanded.  
"Deadly," Leonard replied.  
"Very well then," Nero declared, "prepare to die, Healer."

~*~

James felt the ropes suddenly slacken, then drop from his wrists.  
"The moment has come," Varda announced, "go to your healer, James, before it is too late."  
James did not need to be told a second time. He raced out of Nero’s ready room in search of Leonard.

~*~

"According to Scotty, our best chance of getting through the shields is right next to the main gate," Hikaru informed the security officer accompanying him, "right about here."  
The security officer, whose named was Mijan, scowled up at the main gate to their right.  
"Something’s wrong, sir," Mijan informed Hikaru.  
"What?" the pilot asked, "what’s wrong?"  
"No guards," Mijan replied.  
"They couldn’t have possibly known we were coming," Hikaru objected.  
A dog bayed somewhere in the city. Several other dogs answered it.  
"Wargs?" Hikaru wondered.  
Mijan, who had originally come from the Riddermark*, shook his head.  
"Not wargs," he said, "those are hunting dogs."

~*~

Nero lazily tossed his knife at Leonard, who effortlessly dodged it, buying himself extra time to grab his sword. Leonard took one look at the dark elf’s sword and fled the room. Nero followed close behind the hobbit.  
"Why are you running, Little Halfling?" the dark elf demanded.  
"I’m not a fool, Nero," Leonard shot back.  
"Only a fool would dare challenge me to a fight," Nero observed.  
"Just because my actions seem foolish does not make me a fool, Nero," Leonard shot back as he disappeared around a corner.  
Nero raced after him, but once he got around the corner, Leonard was no where to be seen. The dark elf swore angrily. Leonard was amazed that the dark elf couldn’t hear his heart pounding against his rib cage. He was also equally amazed that this trick was actually working.  
 _Maybe that’s why Shirefolk make such good heroes?_ the healer wondered to himself, _we think so differently from everyone else that we can do things that others can’t._

~*~

James raced down the hallway, not caring how noisy he was being—until he ran headlong into a stern-looking dark elf.  
"Ayel," James breathed, recognizing the dark elf.  
"James Kirk," purred the elf, grabbing the hobbit around his neck and holding him up to eye level, "if you’re hoping to save your little friend from a painful death, then you’re too late."  
"No," breathed James.  
"No, he’s not yet dead," Ayel acknowledged, "but he will be shortly."  
"You’re wrong!" James stubbornly insisted, "Leonard is the Chosen One, he won’t die!"  
Ayel chuckled.  
"You don’t even know your own Prophecy, do you?" he asked.  
"I know Leonard," James replied, "that’s all I need to know."  
"Then know this," Ayel declared, "your dear Leonard must die to defeat Nero."  
"You’re wrong," James insisted, lashing out at the dark elf, "Leonard doesn’t have to die!"  
Ayel chuckled again.  
"You are blinded by love, James," he informed the captive hobbit, "you can not see the uselessness of your struggles, your denials of reality."

~*~

"Lord Béma*, the dogs are eager to be set loose on the city,” Erkenbrand informed the man whom he served—though “man” was a term Erkenbrand used loosely to describe Béma, for Béma was not actually of Middle-earth.  
"I am aware of this, Erkenbrand," Béma remarked in his deep basso voice, "but we must wait for Lady Varda’s signal."  
It had been ages since the Valar had last directly meddled in the affairs of Middle-earth, entrusting such tasks in the capable hands of the Maiar*. However, Nero’s quest for control of Middle-earth had forced the Valar to get personally involved.

~*~

Ninniach and Arciryas rode at the head of a great army.  
”How much longer until we reach Minas Morgul, Ninniach?” the king asked.  
"Two hours, sire," the Captain of the City Guard said, "and you still haven’t answered my question."  
Arciryas sighed.  
"You have a sharp military mind, Ninniach," he replied, "your talents are wasted in the City Guard."  
"Women aren’t allowed to fight in combat, sire," Ninniach reminded him, "we tend to lack the upper body strength needed to wage war."  
"You know as well as I do that that’s not true of every woman in Gondor, Ninniach."  
"Halt!" ordered a strong male voice.  
Arciryas cocked an eyebrow at the lone man who would stop an army.  
"I am King Arciryas," he informed the man, "identify yourself."  
"I am Manwë*,” the man replied.  
Ninniach frowned at the man.  
"That is quite a bold claim to make, sir," she remarked, clearly doubtful of the man’s claim.  
"Lady Ninniach, it is not a claim, but the truth," Manwë replied.  
"I’m not a lady," Ninniach corrected him, "I’m the Captain of the City Guard of Minas Tirith."  
"Regardless, you must time your attack carefully," Manwë continued.  
"Of course," Arciryas agreed.  
"Follow the eagles," Manwë advised, then he was gone.  
"Okay, now I think I believe him," Ninniach declared.  
"What did he mean by that?" Arciryas wondered, ignoring Ninniach, "there are no eagles this far south."  
"There are now, sire!" called a soldier, pointing to a great golden eagle soaring above their heads.  
"Follow that eagle!" Arciryas ordered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Another name for Rohan.  
> 2\. The name in Rohan for the Vala Oromë (whose name means “Sound of Horns”, “Hornblowing” in Elvish).  
> 3\. The Maiar are the lesser beings who serve the Valar, and several of them played key roles in the history of Middle-earth, including the wizards Gandalf and Sarumon, as well the evil Sauron.  
> 4\. Manwë is the eldest of the Valar, and the husband of Varda.


	23. 21. Death's Bitter Sting

James bit down on Ayel’s arm, hard enough that the dark elf released the hobbit out of reflex. As soon as his feet touched the floor, James was out of there. He raced through the corridors, changing directions at random—but it wasn’t enough to shake Ayel.  
Suddenly, a blood-curdling shriek rent the air, startling James (and Ayel). Mornië attacked Ayel, going for the dark elf’s eyes.  
James was torn between helping Mornië and continuing on his way to help Leonard.  
 _Don’t worry about Mornië, James,_ Varda called out in James’ head, _go save Leonard!_  
The Captain raced onwards and it was not long after that he found Leonard, hiding under a side table, with Nero standing right next to him, completely oblivious to how close he was to the healer.  
Nero narrowed his eyes at the sound of hobbit feet pounding against the floor, coming towards him.  
"Leonard?" the dark elf called, "is that you?"  
"No, it’s me, James Kirk!"  
"Excellent, I can kill you now," Nero declared.  
"No!" shouted Leonard, leaving his hiding place to lunge for Nero.  
James was too far away to stop the horror he was forced to witness—the death of Leonard McCoy. Nero ran his sword through Leonard’s chest as the hobbit lunged at him, the healer’s own momentum pushing the dark elf’s blade deep into his body.  
With his dying breath, Leonard called out to Varda.  
"A Elbereth Gilthoniel,  
o menel palan-díriel,  
le nallon sí di’nguruthos!  
Atíro nin, Fanuilos!”* he cried, then lay still.  
James immediately lunged at the now unarmed Nero.

~*~

As Leonard’s words rang out in that corridor, a rainbow arc’d across the sky above Minas Morgul. Spock scowled at it from where he sat in the captain’s chair on the Bridge of the _Enterprise_.  
"What new devilry is this?" the half-elf wondered softly.  
"Commander!" called Pavel from his station, "Sensors report that ze shields are down!"  
"Can you get a lock on them now?" Spock asked.  
The curly-haired hobbit opened his mouth to reply, when something on the sensors caught his eye.  
"Chekov?" the half-elf called.  
"Sair, there’s a huge army marching on Minas Morgul," Pavel announced.  
"On screen," Spock ordered.  
The main viewscreen on the Bridge switched from displaying the city of Minas Morgul to a much wider view, one which included much more of the surrounding countryside.  
Sure enough, a great army was indeed marching on Minas Morgul, just as Pavel had said. The curly-haired hobbit had neglected to mention that the army included three huge eagles, however.  
"Ze rainbow," Pavel breathed, "it’s a signal."  
"A signal for what?" Spock wondered aloud.  
"Spock we’re being hailed!" Uhura called, "it’s Hikaru and Mijan! They’ve found them!"  
The half-elf strode over to his wife’s station.

~*~

Ninniach narrowed her eyes as she saw the rainbow soar across the sky above Minas Morgul, a colorful contrast to the black clouds that cast the region in darkness.  
"The signal!" called Manwë from where ever he was, "the time has come!"  
"Ninniach, signal the troops," Arciryas directed, "now we march on the city."

~*~

"Is that the signal, my lord?" Erkenbrand asked Béma, indicating the rainbow above their heads.  
Béma nodded.  
"Release the hounds," he ordered, "it’s time to hunt."

~*~

When Hikaru and Mijan stepped out of the shield control room, they found a gruff pair of dark elves waiting for them. Mijan groaned.  
"I _told_ you we took a wrong turn after the Gap of Rohan, Hikaru,” he declared.  
Fortunately, Hikaru was quick on the uptake.  
"I guess you’re right, Mijan," he acknowledged, "but perhaps the locals will be kind enough to point us in the right direction."  
"You are trespassing," one of the dark elves observed.  
"You must die," the other one proclaimed, "immediately."  
"I guess they aren’t going to be helpful, Hikaru," Mijan remarked.  
The dark elves unsheathed their swords. Hikaru looked at Mijan, who wordlessly nodded. Then they drew their own swords.

~*~

"Now that your ‘Chosen One’ is dead, James Kirk," Nero asked, "what are you going to do?"  
"I am going to finish what Leonard started, Nero," the hobbit boldly answered, "that’s what I’m going to do."  
Then he lunged headlong at the dark elf, rolling to the side at the last possible second, narrowly missing being knocked out by an elven fist.  
"You will fail, just like your ‘Chosen One’," Nero warned James.  
"His name is Leonard!" snarled James as he ducked under Nero’s arms to land a solid punch to the dark elf’s stomach.  
Unfortunately, that left him open to having his legs struck aside by a single kick. James’ head struck the stone floor of the corridor with a loud crack. Ignoring the rising nausea of the concussion he most certainly now had, James jumped right back to his feet. Nero yelled in pain as James bit down on his forearm. He tried to fling the hobbit off his arm, but James held on with all his might, determined to not let go.  
Unnoticed by the combatants, Leonard’s lifeless body twitched.

~*~

Hikaru and Mijan carefully cleaned their swords of elven blood before they moved onwards, searching for their Captain and the Chosen One. It wasn’t long before the sound of fighting reached their ears.  
Mijan swore under his breath as the pair stepped around the corner to find James locked in combat with Nero, a lifeless body behind them.  
"The healer," Mijan breathed mournfully, "he’s dead."  
Hikaru shook his head.  
"But the Prophecy," he objected.  
Suddenly James was thrown towards them, away from Nero (and Leonard’s body). To their shared horror, James did not stir.  
"Is he dead too?" Hikaru whispered.  
Mijan’s sharp eyes spotted the faint rising and falling of the hobbit’s chest.  
"He’s still breathing," he informed Hikaru, "but if Nero has his way, that will change."  
Nero stepped towards James, the murder in his heart clearly evident in his eyes. But before Hikaru and Mijan could act to stop the dark elf, the impossible happened. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. This is actually the same cry that Samwise Gamgee made to Elbereth Gilthoniel (Varda) as he attacked Shelob.


	24. 22. Wait, What?

Two days after the Battle of Minas Morgul, James woke to find himself in the Sickbay of his own ship. Christine checked him over, declaring that he had not sustained any “new brain damage”.  
"So, does that mean I can leave?" James asked, eager to find out how he had gotten back on board the _Enterprise_.  
Christine chuckled darkly.  
"That’s up to the acting Chief Medical Officer, Captain," she replied.  
James frowned.  
"Isn’t that _your_ job?” James asked.  
Christine rolled her eyes.  
"No, it’s M’Benga’s job as long as Healer McCoy remains in Sickbay as a patient," the nurse corrected him.  
"Patient?" James asked, "I wasn’t aware that we could reverse death."  
"Don’t worry, sir, the dead are staying dead," Christine replied.  
"But I _saw_ Bones die,” James objected.  
"He didn’t die, Captain," M’Benga called as he strode over to the Captain’s bedside, "but it certainly was a close thing."  
"Still is," Christine added grimly.  
About three hours later, Spock came into Sickbay to brief James on the current state of affairs.  
"So the Valar got involved then," James remarked once Spock had brought him up to date.  
The half-elf nodded.  
"Indeed, Captain," he confirmed aloud.  
"Why did they get involved?"  
"Apparently, Nero’s quest for power threatened the Valar themselves, sir."  
"And Nero? What has become of him?" James asked.  
"Dead," Spock replied, "Leonard McCoy killed Nero with his own sword."  
"I saw Nero kill Leonard, Spock," James objected.  
"According to M’Benga, the sword managed to miss any vital organs," the half-elf remarked.  
"And then Leonard played dead for the next five minutes or so?"  
"It is likely that he was unconscious, sir," Spock coolly replied, "the healer had just sustained a severe injury, after all."  
James sighed.  
"He wouldn’t have even been injured if it weren’t for me, Spock," the hobbit finally admitted.  
"Captain?" Spock asked, confused.  
"Nero announced that he was going to kill me, and Leonard jumped out from his hiding place to keep him from killing me," James explained.  
"Sounds to me like it’s Leonard’s own fault, sir," Spock observed.  
James scowled at the half-elf.  
"It is in his nature to care for others, Captain," Spock continued, "perhaps Nero even knowingly used that to his advantage."  
"Yeah, well, I still feel guilty about it," James informed Spock.  
Christine stepped into the room.  
"Excuse me, sirs, but the Captain needs his rest," the head nurse informed them.  
Spock nodded.  
"I shall return in a few hours, at the end of my shift, sir," the half-elf informed the Captain.

~*~

James looked over at the other bed in the room. Lying on the bed was the still form of Leonard McCoy.  
"Oh, Bones," sighed James, "please wake up."  
But the healer did not stir, and James continued to feel very lonely without his Bones to snark at him.  
When had he fallen in _love_ with the healer? 


	25. 23. Wake-up Call

The _Enterprise_ was a few hours away from Falasîr when Leonard finally woke up, just minutes after James had been dismissed from Sickbay with a clean bill of health. He did not stay awake for very long, though, just long enough to blink a few times at Christine. James did not find out about this until they actually arrived at Falasîr, however.  
"Why didn’t you say anything earlier?" James demanded.  
"It was a judgment call, sir," the nurse replied, "since he was only awake for a handful of seconds, I decided we could wait until later to tell you."  
"How could you be so sure that you could wait?" James petulantly demanded.  
"I’m a _nurse_ , Captain,” Christine pointed out.  
"Sorry, Christine," James said, "I’m just stressed out over Leonard’s well-being."  
The nurse nodded.  
"It’s very obvious that you love him, sir," she remarked.  
James scowled at Christine’s choice of words.  
"It’s none of your concern, Nurse."  
"He’s not someone you can have a one-night stand with, Captain," Christine boldly pressed onwards, "he’s searching for stability."  
"Stability?" James asked.  
"Someone who will remain by his side until the end of time, sir," Christine replied.  
 **"Bridge to Sickbay."**  
Christine answered the comm.  
"Chapel here," she said.  
 **"Chris, could you send the Captain up to the Bridge?"** "we’re about to start our final approach before landing."  
"Will do, Ny," Christine replied, "Chapel out."  
James sighed (yet again—he was getting tired of having to sigh so much, yet another reason the hobbit needed his Bones).  
"Duty calls, Bones," he informed his sleeping friend.

~*~

_Two Weeks Later_  
Leonard opened his eyes to find himself in an unfamiliar hospital bed.  
"Bones!" called an excited voice, "you’re awake!"  
The healer turned to glare at the speaker.  
"Yes, I can see that, James," he growled—or at least, tried to.  
"Don’t try to talk just yet," James needlessly advised him.  
Leonard scowled at the hobbit.  
"I should let Nurse Chapel know you’re awake, huh?" James asked.  
"No need, I’m already here," Christine said, "now get out of the way, lover boy."  
Leonard frowned.  
"Lover boy?" he croaked.  
Christine sighed in annoyance.  
"Don’t talk, Leonard!" she ordered, before directing James to get a cup of room temperature water.  
Once the Captain had left the room, Christine checked Leonard out, making sure he was still healing properly. By the time James returned with the requested cup of water, the nurse was finished with her exam.  
"If all goes well, you’ll be released into James’ care tomorrow afternoon, Leonard," Christine informed the healer.  
"My mom can’t wait for you to come home with me, Bones," James informed Leonard, "she likes cooking."

~*~

Meanwhile, Pike was pouring over old tomes, checking to make sure that there was not anything missed, that Nero had truly been destroyed once and for all.  
"Why do you question what has happened, Christopher?" a voice questioned, startling Pike.  
The man looked up from the dusty book on his desk to find a beautiful elven maiden in a radiant white gown standing in the middle of his study.  
"Who are you?" he demanded.  
"I am Varda," the elf-maid replied.  
"My Lady," Pike said respectively, bowing as best as he could in a wheelchair.  
"Why do you question the outcome of the Battle of Minas Morgul, Christopher?" Varda insisted.  
"The Chosen One was supposed to sacrifice his life for Middle-earth in order to stop Nero," Pike replied, "but Leonard is alive and mostly well."  
"Is such a thing so terrible?" Varda inquired.  
Pike shook his head.  
"It’s not that I’m not happy that Leonard is alive—I am quite happy about that—, it’s just that I can’t rest easy knowing that there’s a chance that it was all in vain," he explained.  
Varda sighed.  
"Prophecies are not meant to be taken literally, Christopher," the Vala said patiently, "like in this case, all that was required of Leonard was for him to seem dead, not actual death. His willingness to give up his life was enough to satisfy the prophecy."  
Pike nodded, understanding dawning in his eyes.  
"And like how Lady Éowyn and Meriadoc Brandybuck were able to defeat the Witch King*,” he stated.  
Varda nodded.  
"Precisely, Christopher," she said.  
Pike blinked, and she was gone.  
"So Nero really has been defeated then," Pike said, speaking to empty air, "and Leonard didn’t have to actually die to make that happen." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. It was prophesied that no man could kill the Witch King. As Lady Éowyn was a woman and Meriadoc Brandybuck was a hobbit, they clearly weren’t men, and therefore able to kill the Witch King.


	26. 24. Heart to Heart

Leonard decided that he needed to talk to James about his feelings for the hobbit as he lay awake in his hospital bed that night. James himself had been forcibly removed from the room by Christine, leaving the healer alone with his thoughts for the night. Morning couldn’t come soon enough for Leonard—it was much too quiet in his room. But once it did come, James did not make an appearance. In fact, Leonard did not see him until that afternoon, when the time came for Leonard to be released from the hospital.  
"Sorry, Bones," James said, "I’d have gotten here a whole lot sooner, but it took me longer than I expected to find someone willing to drive us home by horse."

~*~

As soon as the cart pulled up in front of the Kirk family home, James lept out of the cart and carefully unloaded Leonard into his arms. Then he carried the healer all the way to the guest bedroom. Once Leonard was tucked into bed, James said, “Bones, there’s something I need to tell you.”  
"I’ve got something I need to tell you too," Leonard remarked.  
"Oh," James said uncertainly.  
"James, I have feelings for you," Leonard boldly announced.  
"Oh, um, that’s good," James replied softly.  
Leonard scowled at James.  
"What the hell kind of response is _that_?” he demanded.  
"Surprised," James admitted, "I was just about to admit my undying love for you, but if you don’t—"  
"Dammit, James, why did you have to admit to your feelings now!?" growled Leonard, "when sex is still out of the question!"  
"Look who’s talking, "grumbled James, "you just did the same thing."  
Leonard growled, but didn’t say anything.  
"What about cuddling?" James asked, "is that out of the question too?"  
"As long as you’re gentle and don’t roll over on top of me, it’s fine," Leonard decided, "now get in this bed right now."  
James grinned.  
"Now, Bones, is that any way to talk to your captain?" he asked.  
"Of course it is," Leonard retorted, "now get!"

~*~

Winona walked into the guest room two hours later to inform the boys that it was tea time, only to find Leonard and James fast asleep in the guest bed together. Her heart melted at the sight of her son cuddled up to his soul mate.  
 _This must have been how my mother felt when she saw George and me together,_ Winona thought to herself, _tea time can wait._  
Then she quietly stepped back out of the room.

~*~

James woke up hungry, with Leonard still fast asleep in his arms. It was dark outside—and inside the room too, since no one had turned on the lights in the guest room. It was quite late—but James was not sure just how late it was, and he could not look at the chronometer without having to move Leonard, which might wake him up. And Leonard was _not_ the kind of person who took kindly to having his sleep disturbed, which was kinda odd for a healer. James’ stomach rumbled again, so he decided to risk the healer’s ire anyways. The younger hobbit managed to slip out from under the healer without waking him, much to James’ relief.  
He then glanced at the chronometer, which informed him that it was almost midnight.  
"Guess it’s time for a midnight snack," James whispered to himself before tip-toeing out of the guest bedroom.  
Once he got to the kitchen, he found a note on the kitchen table, addressed to him in his mother’s strong script:

Jimmy,  
Gone to spend the night with Christopher. Don’t burn the house down while I’m gone again, your friend won’t appreciate that very much.  
—Mom  
P.S. I made you boys some of my carrot cake. It’s in the fridge, next to the milk jug.

"Bones will love this," James observed aloud, before getting out the carrot cake and cutting two slices—one for the healer, and another slice for himself.

~*~

"So, when’s the wedding?" Pike asked over dinner.  
"Wedding?" Winona asked, confused.  
"For your son," Pike clarified, "I’m sure he’s already proposed to Healer McCoy."  
Winona shook her head.  
"There’s no wedding planned," she said.  
"They’re going to elope then?"  
"Jimmy hasn’t proposed to Leonard, Chris," Winona stated.  
"Why not?" Pike demanded, "they’re clearly in love with each other."  
"I think Jimmy’s too afraid to make the first move," Winona replied, "and Leonard’s too busy healing to really consider it just yet."  
"Perhaps they just need a little push, Winona," Pike suggested.  
"Like how you got Pavel and Hikaru together?" Winona asked.  
Pike nodded.  
"Let’s give them a few more days to get there on their own first, Chris," Winona insisted, "and if that’s not enough time for them to get on with it, _then_ you can meddle all you want.”

~*~

When James returned to the guest room with the slices of carrot cake, he found Leonard had woken up on his own.  
"Is that what I think it is?" the healer asked, indicating the slices of cake.  
"If you’re thinking that these are slices of my mom’s homemade carrot cake, then yes, you are correct," James affirmed.  
"One of those slices is for me, right?" Leonard asked.  
"Of course, Bones," James replied, "why else would I have gotten two plates dirty?"  
"When it comes to you, James, anything is possible," Leonard observed.  
"Speaking of which," James said, setting the plates down on the night stand, "Leonard Horatio McCoy, would you marry me?"  
"Aren’t you supposed to kneel when you propose?" Leonard asked.  
"Usually, yes," James acknowledged, "but since I don’t have a ring to put on your finger yet, I thought it would be a bit silly to kneel."  
Leonard chuckled.  
"Proposin’ without a ring?" he asked, "does that mean you’re not being serious?"  
"I am serious, Bones," James insisted, "I’ve just not had the chance to buy an engagement ring since I realized that I love you."  
"Good, ‘cause I’ve already got a ring for you," Leonard remarked.  
"Huh?" James asked, confused.  
"James Tiberius Kirk, would you do me the honor of marrying me?” Leonard asked.  
"You’re not kneeling either," James pointed out.  
"Yeah, well, I’m on bed rest," Leonard reminded him, "but if you check my pack, in the side pocket, there’s a ring. Put it on your finger for me."  
"I don’t get a say in this?" James asked, amused.  
"Considering you asked to marry me before I asked, I already know the answer to my question," the healer observed, "now put on that ring, dammit!"  
James did so. It fit him perfectly.  
"Was this your old wedding band?" James asked.  
"Course not," Leonard replied, "it’d never fit you."  
"Then how did you happen to have a ring that fits me perfectly?" James asked.  
"Scotty made it for me while you were asleep at my bedside in the hospital," Leonard replied.  
"Scotty made you a ring?" James asked, stunned.  
"Yeah, so?" Leonard replied.  
"He completely refused to have anything to do with wedding and engagement rings the last time I checked, Bones," James replied.  
"Maybe he changed his mind?" Leonard suggested.  
"Bones, that was this morning," James replied.  
"So that’s the real reason you took so long this morning," Leonard observed.  
"In part," James admitted, "but I was mostly telling the truth."  
"Whatever," Leonard grumbled, "get in bed."  
"Don’t you want cake?"  
"Oh yeah, let’s eat that first, then get on with our night," Leonard decided. 


	27. Epilogue I: Period of Engagement

Three months after he was released from the hospital, Leonard was deemed to have recovered enough to have sex with James (by Christine’s standards). The healer celebrated this by jumping his fiance as soon as the younger hobbit returned from whatever he did during the day at tea time.  
Thankfully for James, his mother was still out of the house, working on some secret project that he did not know anything about (though there were moments when he suspected that Leonard was somehow involved in this mysterious project of his mother’s).  
"Aren’t you worried that Christine will have your balls, Bones?" James inquired, somewhat breathlessly.  
"What would she _do_ with them, James?" Leonard replied, "she has absolutely _no_ interest in men _except_ as friends.”  
"Gaila says that she eats ice cream made out of hobbit dicks," James informed the healer.  
Leonard snorted in mild amusement.  
"I think she’s confused hobbits with _whales_ , James,” he declared.  
"Whales?" the younger hobbit asked, "what’s a whale?"  
Leonard stared at his fiance.  
"Seriously?" he demanded, "you know all about ‘sensors’ and ‘tricorders’, but you don’t know what a whale is?"  
"Obviously, or I wouldn’t have asked," James pointed out.  
Leonard scowled.  
"A whale is a kind of giant creature that lives in the Sea," he explained, "you do know what the Sea is, right?"  
"The big body of salty water that separates us from the Blessed Realm of the Valar," James dutifully replied, "yeah, I know what the Sea is, Bones."  
"And yet you don’t know what a whale is," Leonard muttered, "I suppose you don’t know what a dolphin is either."  
"You suppose rightly, Bones," James confirmed, before abruptly asking, "have you decided on a date yet?"  
Leonard was not at all bewildered by the sudden change of topic in their conversation—by this point in their relationship, he was used to James being unpredictable.  
"I’ve got a date in mind, yes," the healer replied.  
"Oh!" James cried, "when?"  
"Boys!" Winona called as she stepped through the front door, "I’m home!"  
"Oh crap," mumbled James as he hurriedly pulled his pants back on before his mother could walk in on them.  
Leonard just snickered. He, of course, was already presentable (as usual). James glared at Leonard, daring him to speak his mind.  
"Oh, am I interrupting something?" Winona asked.  
"Bones was just about to tell me when he wants to get married, Mom," James informed her.  
"He better not be planning to marry you before a year has past since you two announced your engagement," Winona warned, "the one year wait is required by law in Falasîr, and Christopher isn’t going to let you two get married before the year is up just because you can’t wait."  
"Christopher?" James asked, "Mom, is there something you’re not telling me?"  
Winona grinned.  
"Maybe," she said in reply.  
"Mom!" James whined.  
"Okay, okay!" Winona replied, "Christopher proposed today."  
"And you said yes?" Leonard asked.  
"Of course," Winona confirmed.

~*~

"Three months left until the big day, Bones," James announced as the healer yawned awake in the soft dawn light.  
Leonard glanced at the calendar on the nearby wall of the guest bedroom of the Kirk family home.  
"Mmm, you’re right," he agreed, his voice gruff with sleep, "wish I could celebrate that with more than a morning kiss."  
James nuzzled Leonard’s collar bone.  
"Why’s that?" he asked.  
"I’m going in early to the hospital today, that’s why," Leonard replied, wriggling out of the bed.  
"You like Christine better than me," James grumbled, stealing Leonard’s pillow.  
"When you’re acting like a brat? Definitely," Leonard agreed, "but I’ll always love you the most, James." 


	28. Epilogue II: The Big Day

Christopher helped James into the nice black jacket.  
"Sir?" James suddenly asked, "can I ask you a question?"  
"Certainly, James," Christopher replied.  
"What if he gets bored of me?" James asked.  
"While I am certain that he will never grow bored of you, James," Christopher replied, "why didn’t you think of that _before_ you decided to get married?”  
James shrugged.  
"I just thought of it just now," he admitted.  
"What’s really bothering you, James?" Christopher asked.  
"Bones doesn’t like going on adventures, sir," James informed his future step-father.  
Pike nodded.  
"I am aware of his opinion of adventures," he reminded the groom.  
"And you know how I am," James continued.  
"Always on the move, ready for the next adventure," Christopher confirmed, "I can see how you would be concerned."  
"What do you think I should do?" James asked.  
"Discuss your concerns with Leonard," Christopher answered without hesitation, "I’d wait until after the reception, if I were you."  
"Why?" James asked.  
"Do you _want_ Leonard yelling at you in front of everyone?” Christopher inquired.  
"No," James admitted, "but I don’t think this question should wait until after the reception, sir."  
"Really, this question should have been asked before you two proposed to each other, James," Christopher remarked candidly, "however, I am confident that Leonard will not leave you simply because you like going on adventures."

~*~

Meanwhile, in the little room across the hall from where James and Christopher were preparing themselves, Winona Kirk and Leonard McCoy were having their own serious conversation.  
"Now you’d better be sure that you are going to be in this relationship for the long haul, Leonard," Winona declared vehemently.  
"With all due respect, ma’am, I think it’s a bit late for having second thoughts about marrying James," the healer observed.  
Winona ignored him.  
"If you don’t think you can stay by my Jimmy’s side until death, then just say the word now and we’ll cancel the wedding," she insisted, “‘cause I won’t be having anyone break my little boy’s heart."  
"I think it’s a bit late for me to be able to skip out of town without a new wedding band on my finger without breaking James’ heart, ma’am," Leonard remarked, "besides, that would be breakin’ my own heart at the same time if I did that."  
Leonard’s words finally got through to Winona.  
"Oh," she said, "well then, forget I said anything. Unless you’re only saying that to get me off of your back…?"  
"Well, I may be saying it to you for that reason, yes," Leonard acknowledged, "but that doesn’t make them any less true."  
Winona nodded.  
"I’d better leave you alone now," she said, "so that you can get ready for your big day without any additional stress being put on you for my part."  
 _Too late for that,_ Leonard thought to himself, as Winona slipped back out of the room.

~*~

Since Leonard was a stranger to Falasîr, they had decided that James would stand by the altar (with his best man, Spock) as Christine Chapel escorted the healer up the aisle as Montgomery Scott played a tune he called “Here Comes the Groom” on the organ.  
Leonard was a doctor, not a musician—he could not tell if Scotty was just a terrible organist or if the organ was just badly in need of retuning. Or may be it was Gaila’s fault? She _was_ sitting on top of the organ, after all, may be her weight was causing the organ to malfunction?  
"Quit thinking about the organ, Healer," Christine muttered in a low voice, "and get ready, we’re about to start walking up the aisle."  
"It’s hard not to when Gaila looks like a damn organ grinder’s monkey," Leonard muttered back, "I can see her pink thong underwear from here, the way she’s sitting."  
Christine chuckled.  
"Scotty likes giving her underwear like most men give their sweethearts red roses," the nurse remarked.  
Leonard rolled his eyes, but did not say anything out loud, as they had started walking up the aisle in the middle of the small chapel, towards the altar.  
As soon as he was even with James, the younger hobbit leaned over and whispered in the healer’s ear, “Sorry ‘bout the music, Bones, the organ’s broken and Gaila isn’t heavy enough.”  
"It wouldn’t be our wedding without something or other going wrong, James," Leonard observed in a low voice.  
"We are gathered here today to witness the joining of James Tiberius Kirk and Leonard Horatio McCoy," Christopher Pike announced, cutting off any further whispered conversation between the couple.

~*~

The wedding went off without a hitch—with the exception of the organ, of course. The reception afterwards, however, was a different matter entirely.  
"Who the hell thought it was a good idea to serve calamari at _my_ wedding reception!?” Leonard snarled.  
"Bones, you’re not a bridezilla," James quipped.  
"Do you even know what calamari is, James?" the healer demanded, eyes wide and wild.  
"We’re married now, Bones, you can call me ‘Jim’."  
Leonard seemingly ignored James as he continued to rant about the evils of calamari.  
"Tentacles, Jim, they’re made from tentacles," he informed his husband, "and they come from squids with a fondness for tentacle-raping people."  
"But then I’d figure you’d be happy to have calamari, Bones, especially since that would mean that there are fewer tentacle-raping squids out there to assault you," James pointed out.  
"And you’d be wrong, Jim, oh so very wrong," Leonard replied, "because calamari is their secret weapon."  
"Secret weapon?" James asked.  
Leonard nodded vigorously.  
"They use calamari to tentacle-rape you from the inside, Jim."  
"Okay then," James said, thoroughly convinced that his husband had managed to lose his mind some how.  
"You don’t believe me, Jim," the healer remarked, "why don’t you believe me?"  
"Because you sound insane, Bones, that’s why," James replied sincerely.  
"Dammit, Jim, I’m the one who was tentacle-raped, why should I have to be reminded of that on my wedding day?" Leonard growled.  
"Oh yeah…I didn’t think of that," James admitted.  
The healer rolled his eyes, but didn’t say anything more on the subject, much to his husband’s relief.

~*~

That evening, James and Leonard entered the Kirk family home—their home—for the first time as a (happily) married couple.  
"Where’s Winona?" Leonard asked James as soon as they had crossed the threshold.  
"With Christopher," James replied, "and don’t worry, they won’t get up to anything I want to know about."  
Leonard grinned.  
"And what about us?" he asked.  
"What do you mean?" James asked, confused.  
"What are _we_ going to be getting up to, Jim?” Leonard purred, pulling James towards him as he spoke.  
"Oh," James said, realization dawning at last as he wrapped his arms around the healer, "what do you want to do?"  
Leonard nipped at James’ neck.  
"I have a few ideas, Jim," he muttered into his husband’s collarbone, "let’s get into bed and get started on ‘em, eh?"  
"Bet I can beat you to the bed, old man," James challenged.  
"Who are you calling old man?" Leonard retorted, "and you are so going to lose."  
They raced down the hallway, towards the main bedroom. Leonard jumped on top of James just as the younger hobbit reached the doorway.  
"No fair!" whined James, but Leonard ignored his complaint.  
"Onwards, my trusty steed!" he cried out instead, "we go in search of sexual pleasure!"  
James laughed as he carried Leonard over to the bed.  
"Have we reached our destination yet?" he inquired, indicating the bed.  
"I think so, my stallion," Leonard declared, "let me down and I shall see."  
James leaned over, to let his husband roll off of his back and onto their wedding bed, but Leonard did not let go. Instead the healer pulled James down with him. James yelped in surprise as Leonard tried to turn him around so that he would be facing the healer.  
"Your hands are _cold_!” he yelped.  
"I guess that means you’re going to be the one giving me a hand job tonight, huh?" Leonard inquired.  
At the mention of sex, James completely forgot about his husband’s cold hands. He wriggled his hips side to side as he placed his knees on either side of Leonard’s thighs. Placing his hands on the healer’s shoulders, James pinned him down to the bed and kissed Leonard passionately. Leonard, of course, responded by jerking his right knee upwards—a contraction of muscles triggered by the endorphins released into the healer’s blood stream at the pleasure of the experience of kissing James, his husband.  
Unfortunately, James’ crotch was in the way of Leonard’s knee.  
James went down hard on top of the healer, and not in the way Leonard had wanted him to, not by a long shot.  
"Dammit, Jim, you’re heavy," Leonard growled, "get off so I can get you some ice."  
"Ice?" squeaked James, who was still breathless with pain.  
"Yeah, ice," Leonard affirmed, "for your bruise that’s forming in your privates."  
"But I wanna have sex," whined James, "sex with you!"  
"It looks like that won’t be happening tonight, Jim, sorry," the healer replied, "I’ll need to check your genitals, to make sure I didn’t break anything, but I could make it fun for you?"  
James perked up at that.  
"Are you offering to give me a hand job, Bones?" he asked.  
"I’m offering to do doctorly things to you, Jim," Leonard corrected him, getting up from the bed as he spoke.  
"Whatever you say, Bones," James replied, clearly unconvinced, "whatever you say."

~*~

By the time Leonard returned to the bed room with an ice pack and a tricorder, James was sitting upright on the bed waiting for him.  
"Let’s just cuddle the night away, Bones," James declared, "once you’ve finished checking me out."  
Leonard nodded in acknowledgement, though he was only half-listening to his husband as he began scanning James with the tricorder.  
"Well, it looks like sex is going to be out of the question for you for the next couple of days," the healer announced.  
"Why?"  
Leonard prodded James’ penis in answer, causing the hobbit to yelp in pain.  
"That’s why," the healer proclaimed.  
"Can’t you use a dermal regenerator, Bones?" James begged.  
Leonard shook his head.  
"Sorry, Jim, but I can’t," he replied, "those don’t work on penile bruising."  
"Is there _any_ thing you can do?”  
Leonard shook his head again.  
"All I can do for you is give you an ice pack, Jim."  
"Aw, Bones, you can kiss me better."  
Leonard smiled at the suggestion, sending pleasant chills up James spine. Then the healer lunged at his husband, pinning the other hobbit down on the bed under his weight. The bed creaked as Leonard’s lips met James’, the healer’s tongue pressing against the hobbit captain’s teeth. James moaned into the healer’s mouth as the soothing coolness of an ice pack doused the fiery pain of his bruised penis. Leonard broke off the kiss, his lungs burning with the need for oxygen.  
"I love you, Bones," James declared, "never leave me."  
"Don’t worry, Jim, I’ll never leave you," Leonard vowed, "no matter what, I’ll always be at your side, in spirit if not physically."  
"Even when I go on adventures?" James inquired.  
“ _Especially_ when you go on adventures,” the healer was quick to assure him, “someone has to keep you in one piece, and it might as well be me.”  
"You don’t trust M’Benga to take care of me?"  
"Hell, Jim, I don’t even trust _you_ to take care of yourself,” Leonard quipped.  
"That’s harsh, Bones," James declared, "especially since you were the one who kneed me just now."  
"The truth usually is harsh, Jim," Leonard observed, "and if you weren’t such a damned fine kisser, you never would have gotten kneed."  
"I’ll just tie your feet down the next time I want to top, huh?" James wondered aloud.  
Leonard thought of tentacles wrapped around his body, restraining him, and shivered.  
"Are you cold, Bones?" James asked, worried.  
"There’s an ice pack on your—" Leonard began, before cutting himself off with a sigh.  
"Bones?"  
"Nothing, Jim, I’m just tired," the healer insisted, but James was able to see right through him.  
"You’re lying, Bones," he said with a frown, "why are you lying to me?"  
"I just don’t like the idea of being restrained, Jim," Leonard admitted.  
"This have anything to do with what the Watcher did to you?" the younger hobbit asked.  
Leonard wordlessly nodded.  
"I guess that would also explain your rant about calamari earlier," James remarked softly.  
"Yeah, I did go kinda overboard, didn’t I?" Leonard asked sheepishly.  
"A little bit, yeah," James agreed, "but I still love you, Bones."  
"I love you too, Jim." 


End file.
